The first debate of New York City’s Official Debate Program will be held Friday, August 21, 2009 at 1:30 P.M., at WABC-TV. The debate, for Democratic comptroller candidates, is sponsored WABC-TV, WXTV Univision 41, 1010 WINS, and the League of Women Voters of the City of New York. The debate will be streamed live on 7online.com and broadcast on WABC-TV (Channel 7) and on WNYC Radio (AM 820 and 93.9 FM) at 11:00 A.M., Sunday, August 23.
The Debate Program was created by law in 1996 to ensure that citizens are provided the opportunity to see candidates running for city-wide office (mayor, public advocate, and comptroller) face each other in non-partisan forums that allow for substantive discussions of campaign issues. All candidates for city-wide office who participate in the Campaign Finance Program, are on the ballot, and meet a minimum financial threshold as set by law, as well as other objective criteria determined by the debate sponsors, are required to take part in at least one debate prior to the election. Candidates deemed “leading contenders” must appear in a second debate before the election. Candidates who do not join the Campaign Finance Program may be invited by the sponsors to debate, but are not required to take part.
The Debate Program is administered by the Campaign Finance Board but the debates themselves are sponsored by a number of media and civic organizations. The debates will be broadcast via television, radio, and over the internet. The Board has chosen two sponsor groups for the New York City’s official 2009 Debate Program: NY1 News, NY1 Noticias, WNYC Radio, Daily News, Citizens Union, and Time Warner Cable; and WABC-TV, WXTV Univision 41, 1010 WINS, and the League of Women Voters of the City of New York. Please go to www.nyccfb.info/debates for a full schedule of debates.
Press Access: All accredited press will be permitted to watch the debate from designated areas set up outside the debate studio. No reporter or camera will be allowed inside the taping area during the debate. Cameras will be allowed into the studio 10 minutes prior to taping for a 5 minute photo-op only. The debate studio will reopen to reporters and cameras immediately following the debate for interviews with the candidates.
For additional information on press access, in addition to information on video and audio feeds for the debate, please contact Seung Suh at WABC-TV: seung.suh@abc.com
For information about the Debate Program, including broadcasts in additional languages and details on hosting a debate party, please contact the Campaign Finance Board’s Public Affairs Officer, Amanda Konstam, at (212) 306-5262.